Greece has become the focal point of widespread labor protests in late 2025 following a government proposal to legalize a 13-hour workday. The plan has prompted nationwide strikes and reignited debates around labor rights, with union leaders labeling it a step toward “modern slavery.” Under current regulations, employees may work 13 hours per day only by holding multiple jobs. The proposed bill would allow this timeframe with a single employer under specific conditions.
The proposal follows gradual economic stabilization after the 2009–2018 debt crisis. Although Greece reported 2.3% GDP growth in 2024, wages remain low by European standards. The current minimum wage stands at €880 per month, limiting disposable income and fueling the need for multiple income sources. Against this backdrop, the government argues that the reform is part of necessary modernization, while opponents see it as a rollback of decades of labor protections.
On the day of the general strike, Greece’s transportation infrastructure stalled. Trains, ferries, and airports ceased operations. Public sector workers, including educators and medical staff, joined private sector employees in voicing concern over the reform’s implications for job security and quality of life.
The Government’s Rationale And Arguments For Flexibility
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Labour Minister Niki Kerameus maintain that the proposed reform offers “freedom of choice” to both employers and employees. According to the government, the law would only permit the 13-hour workday for up to 37 days annually and would mandate a 40% overtime bonus. Weekly work limits and rest periods would remain unchanged under the new system.
Supporters argue that the change benefits younger workers who currently rely on two or more part-time jobs. Consolidating working hours with one employer could reduce commuting time and administrative complexity while increasing income stability. Proponents also compare the initiative to Germany’s labor model, where extended hours are legal under certain contractual safeguards.
Structural Labor Market Considerations
The legislation is framed as a response to evolving labor market needs. Policymakers argue that employment frameworks must adapt to economic volatility, sector-specific demands, and rising automation. They emphasize that legalizing existing informal practices may also help regulate employment sectors such as hospitality and agriculture, where long shifts are already prevalent.
Union Response And Concerns Over Worker Exploitation
The proposal has galvanized Greek trade unions across the ideological spectrum. A stinging reproach was given by the General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE), which represents 2.5 million employees in the private sector, which declared, “Working time is not a commodity. It’s our life.” The union, which is Communist Party-affiliated, PAME also characterized the legislation as being inhuman, and demanded mass mobilization to oppose the suggested changes.
The opponents are worried that the reform will create a bad precedent, especially in the industries with an elevated level of informality, or dominance by employers. They put forward the argument that so-called voluntary overtime can turn into an involuntary one in an economically constrained situation or tacit employer pressure.
Legal Vulnerabilities And Oversight Gaps
Enforcement has been of concern to legal experts and worker advocates. Greece has long struggled with labor law compliance, and watchdog groups warn that the new law may outpace the state’s capacity to monitor employer practices. There is particular anxiety over fast-tracked dismissal mechanisms included in the same legislative package, including provisions for firing employees by SMS without explanation.
These concerns are heightened by statistics showing that Greece already has one of the highest rates of over-50-hour workweeks in the EU. Additional deregulation could intensify this trend without adequate compensatory protections.
Economic Imperatives And The European Comparison
The demand for prolonged working hours in Greece is firmly connected to the national economic challenges. Despite the recovery of growth, numerous Greeks are experiencing an increase in the prices of rent, food and fuel. Here, the reform is regarded by the reformers as a practical measure to legalize a business fact that in which most workers already assume a lot of labor-time, though informally and usually without the proper compensation and with no law to support them.
Tourism, which is one of the important sectors in the Greek economy, regularly requires the use of excessive working hours during season times. Officials of the government say that the transparency and regulatory control can be achieved by matching legislation with real-world practices.
European Models And Risk Of Divergence
European labor policy is moving the other way. Other nations such as France and Belgium have tried a shorter workweek and the shorter hours are perceived to be a tool to encourage health and distribution of jobs. The comparison to the proposal of Greece is quite stark and might cause the country to be an outlier in labor policy in the EU.
While nations like Germany allow extended hours, they do so with strict enforcement and clear thresholds for worker compensation. Whether Greece can ensure similar oversight remains an open question, especially given its past record on labor violations.
Stakeholder Perspectives And The Balance Of Power
Greek employers are not unanimous in supporting the legislation. While some appreciate the operational flexibility, others worry that overworking employees may reduce efficiency, increase burnout, and erode trust. In smaller businesses, where employee-employer relationships are more personal, the risk of misuse remains acute.
Prominent union voices have questioned whether real “choice” exists for workers in precarious roles. High unemployment and widespread use of short-term contracts limit the power of individuals to decline additional work, even under formally voluntary frameworks.
Government Messaging And Public Reception
The government continues to frame the reform as “pro-worker” in that it allows individuals to increase income through formal means. Prime Minister Mitsotakis has defended the move by citing the real-life struggles of young workers who are “already working 13 hours” across jobs and should have the right to do so legally under one employer.
But still a lot of Greeks will not be convinced. In surveys of a population in September of 2025, more than two-thirds of the population are opposed to the bill, especially low-income and urban employees.
Unfolding Implications And Future Outlook
Following the arrival of the bill in Parliament this October, Greece is entering a critical phase of the post-crisis labor direction. The law has the potential to reform employment standards in the decades to come, not just in the domestic policy but also in the discourse of EU-wide that speaks of the issue of labor flexibility and economic rights.
The adoption or opposition of the 13-hour workday will probably be based on the manner in which it is adopted. Honesty in contract conditions, tracking in real time and rights, which can be enforced to decline overtime will be invaluable in forming the outcomes. When these are not guaranteed, it can confirm the critics fears of exploitation and winning can provide an example of how labor can be modernized in the face of economic crisis.
Other European countries are looking on with apprehension. The Greek experience might give us an idea of how democracies can redefine the labor model in the 21st century, between the need to maintain human dignity and the need to develop a more resilient economic system in the fast-evolving world.